Labeling machine

ABSTRACT

A labeling machine for handling upright containers, such as bottles or cans, and having a bottle input conveyor, a bottle output conveyor, a label-applying mechanism, variable speed drive, sensors at the input and output conveyors, a container stop at the input conveyor and control mechanism subject to the sensors to actuate said stop and said variable speed drive to stop containers coming into the machine and reduce machine speed when the sensors respectively sense a deficiency of containers at the machine input and/or an accumulation of containers at the machine output.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Hermann Kronseder Berliner Str. 10,8402 Neutraubling,

Germany [21] Appl. No. 846,077 [22] Filed July 30, 1969 [45] PatentedSept. 21, 1971 [32] Priority Oct. 16, 1968 [3 3] Germany [31] P 1803332.4

[54] LABELING MACHINE 5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. Cl 156/351, 156/363,156/352 [51] Int. Cl 1332b 35/00 [50]Field olSeai-ch 156/351,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,799,106 3/1931 Laxo156/352 3,322,596 5/1967 Vergobbi et a1. 156/363 3,480,503 11/1969Morrow et a1. 156/351 Primary Examiner-Benjamin A. Borchelt AssistantExaminer-Daniel A. Bent Attorney--Whee1er, House & Wheeler ABSTRACT: Alabeling machine for handling upright containers, such as bottles orcans, and having a bottle input conveyor, a bottle output conveyor, alabel-applying mechanism, variable speed drive, sensors at the input andoutput conveyors, a container stop at the input conveyor and controlmechanism subject to the sensors to actuate said stop and said variablespeed drive to stop containers coming into the machine and reducemachine speed when the sensors respectively sense a deficiency ofcontainers at the machine input and/or an accumulation of containers atthe machine output.

PATENTED SEP21 ism 3.607547 INVENTOR HEP/MON (em/Jeane BY W, M, 140444.: \l (2 m ATTORNEY.

LABELING MACHINE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Labeling machines typicallyoperate in series with other machines which perform certaincontainer-processing operations in advance of the labeling machine andfollowing the labeling machine. Accordingly, it sometimes happen thatthe preceding machine does not supply enough containers to fully chargethe labeling machine, and it also may happen that a machine followingthe labeling machine becomes overloaded, thus resulting in a backup ofcontainers tending to jam the output of the labeling machine.

The deficiency of containers at the machine input typically manifestsitself by relatively large gaps between successive containers Inasmuchas upright containers in a line rely to some extent for stability onmutual fore-and-aft contact, the gaps result in instability in theupright posture of the containers with danger of the containers fallingdown. This is particularly serious if the containers are breakable, suchas glass bottles. Moreover, the machine continues to run at high speed,the upset containers are introduced into the label-applying mechanism inthe wrong posture, and cause difficulties.

Machines are known in which control mechanism stops the machine entirelyin the event of a jam. Also, machines are known in which feelers at themachine input are spaced a distance apart which corresponds to an exactmultiple of the diameter of the object. These feelers signal a variablespeed drive to reduce machine speed when the objects enter the machinein irregular order. These machines have the disadvantage that fullcapacity will only be reached if the objects enter the machine inregular order. It is difiicult to change over to objects having otherdiameters as the feelers are spaced a distance corresponding to amultiple of object diameter.

In any machine which is stopped entirely when trouble arises, glue willdry on labels and glue transfer parts within the machine. This presentsa cleanup problem before the machine can be run again.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention, thelabeling machine has sensors at both its input conveyor and outputconveyor. These sensors are connected in a control circuit with acontainer stop at the machine input and also with a variable-speed drivefor the machine operation. When either a deficiency of containers issensed at the input (typically there will be a gap in the stream ofcontainers furnished to the machine) or an accumulation of containers atthe output, the affected sensor will signal the control apparatus toproject the stop in the path of incoming containers to prevent thecontainers from entering the machine. The sensor will also signal thevariable-speed drive to reduce labeling machine speed to its idling orminimum speed.

Mechanism heretofore conventional in machines of this type willinterrupt the further supply of labels to the labeling apparatusinasmuch as containers no longer enter the machine. Accordingly, themachine will operate at very low speed. Containers already in themachine will be slowly processed, but no more containers will beadmitted.

Accordingly, pasted labels which have already been transferred toapplying members of the machine will continue to be transferred tocontainers already in the machine, even though the machine is runningvery slowly. This insures. that all labels are used up and avoids theproblem of glue drying on the labels or on the machine parts whichtransfer the labels.

The machines embodying the present invention also have mechanism formanually regulating the variable-speed drive, independently of thesensors. Moreover, the automatically ac tuated bottle stop andvariable-speed drive control mechanism can be overridden by a manualcontrol, in the event the operator wishes to resume normal speedlabeling operations, inde- DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is acombination schematic and diagrammatic illustration of a labelingmachine embodying the present invention.-

FIG. 2 is an enlarged detail end view of that part of the machine in thecircle x of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Although the disclosure hereof isdetailed and exact to enable those skilled in the art to practice theinvention, the physical embodiments herein disclosed merely exemplifythe invention which may be embodied in other specific structure. Thescope of the invention is defined in the claims appended hereto.

The machine which is shown only diagrammatically includes an inputconveyor 5 and an output conveyor 5'. There is the usual infeed screw orworm 7 by which the containers are spaced, once they have entered themachine. The machine is driven by motor 10 through a variable-speeddrive which includes an adjustable width pulley 9 on the input shaft ofthe motor 10 and an adjustable width pulley 15 on the input shaft of thetransmission 30 by which the machine is powered. A belt 29 connects thevariable width pulleys 9, 15. One side of the variable width pulley 15is connected through a bearing 31 to the shaft 32 ofa fluid motor 18 bywhich the width of pulley 15 can be varied under power. Bearing 31 alsocarries a rack 16 which engages sprocket 17 on shaft 26 connectedthrough a clutch or brake 25 to a hand lever 24. Accordingly, the widthof the belt pulley 15 can be adjusted either by the hand lever 24 or bythe automatic control mechanisms which powers the fluid motor 18.

Ahead of the screw or worm 7 is a container stop 6 which may beprojected into the path of containers moving into the machine on theconveyor belt 5. Container stop 6 is actuated by a fluid motor 4.

Ahead of the container stop 6 is a sensor or feeler 2 which detectsdeficiencies in the number and spacing of containers which are being fedtoward the labeling machine by the conveyor 5. Sensor 2 is disposedbetween side rails 3 which guide and support the containers laterally.If there is a gap between containers, sensor 2 will deflect, thus, toactuate the fluid valve.

The output conveyor 5' is also provided with a sensor or feeler 12 whichsenses a backup or accumulation of containers between the rails 3.Sensor 12 will deflect in response to an accumulation of containers toactuate the fluid valve 11.

When there is either a deficiency of containers adjacent sensor 2 or abackup of containers adjacent sensor 12, the respective valves 1, 11will be actuated to cause fluid flow through a relief valve 14 and acontrol valve 21 through a pressure regulator or throttle valve 13 tothe fluid motor 4 for the container stop 6, thus projecting the stop 6across the conveyor 5. At the same time, fluid impulse goes through thepressure regulator or throttle valve 8 to the fluid motor 18, thus toactuate the motor 18 to reduce the speed of the variable-speed drive 9,29, 15, 30 to its lowest or idling speed.

Containers that are already in the machine will continue to be processedbut at a very low speed. Labels previously assigned to such containerswill continue to be picked from the label magazine and will betransferred by the suitable label-applying devices to the appropriatecontainer. However, the cutoff offlow of fresh containers in to themachine will be sensed by conventional apparatus, not shown, so as toprevent labels from being picked up by the label-applying mechanism forcontainers which have been stopped by the stop 6.

There is sufficient capacity on the output conveyor 5' so that if thecause of the trouble is accumulation of containers at the machine outputthere will be ample storage space on output conveyor 5 all of thecontainers being processed through the machine. 1

As soon as the jam of containers at the discharge of the machine isrelieved, or the deficiency of containers at the input of the machine ismade up, the sensor 2 or 12 will react correspondingly to actuate thecontrol mechanism to withdraw stop 6 from across conveyor 5 and alsoactuate fluid motor 18 to restore the variable-speed transmission to itsmaximum speed. Thereupon, containers will reenter the machine as spacedby the worm 7, and the machine will operate at maximum speed.

The hand lever 24 permits the operator to slow down the machine or speedit up, independently of the automatic control. Accordingly, attendantcan take remedial action, depending upon his visual inspection of thecondition of the machine and regardless of sensors 2, 12. Moreover, ifthe attendant wishes to actuate the bottle stop 6 and slow the machine,even though the sensors 2, 12 do not require such action, the attendantcan actuate a manual switch 20 which will then throw control valve 21into a position in which the stop 6 and the fluid motor 18 will beactuated to stop container inflow and reduce machine speed to a minimum.

There is also a manual changeover switch 22 by which fluid valve 23 isactuated to disable the sensors entirely. The machine can then be runindependently of the automatic control.

The sensors 2, 12 may trigger the stop 6 and the variable speed drivethrough any medium. In the disclosed embodiment, the valves 1, 11, etc.,are air operated from a compressed air source 28. However, hydraulicfluid or electric circuits can also be used to the same purpose.

Because the automatic control reduces the need for human surveillance,more than one machine can be monitored by a single attendant. Thiseffectuates a saving in labor.

I claim:

1. In a labeling machine having a container input conveyor, a containeroutput conveyor, a label applying mechanism and a variable-speed drive,the improvement for controlling machine speed in accordance with thecondition of containers at the input and output of the machine andcomprising container sensors respectively at the container inputconveyor and the container output conveyor, a container input stop atthe container input conveyor and control mechanism subject to both saidsensors to actuate said container input stop and said variable speeddrive to stop containers coming into the machine and reduce machinespeed when the sensors sense either a deficiency of containers at theinput or an accumulation of containers at the output.

2. The labeling machine of claim 1 in which said variable speed drive isfurther provided with a manual regulator by which the variable speeddrive may be regulated independently of said sensors.

3. The machine of claim 1 in further combination with mechanism forreleasing the container stop independently of the control mechanism.

4. The machine of claim 1 in further combination with a changeovercontrol by which the control mechanism may be deactuated manually.

5. The machine of claim 1 in which the control mechanism includes afluid motor for the variable speed drive, and fluid valves actuated bysaid sensors in circuit with said motor.

2. The labeling machine of claim 1 in which said variable speed drive isfurther provided with a manual regulator by which the variable speeddrive may be regulated independently of said sensors.
 3. The machine ofclaim 1 in further combination with mechanism for releasing thecontainer stop independently of the control mechanism.
 4. The machine ofclaim 1 in further combination with a changeover control by which thecontrol mechanism may be deactuated manually.
 5. The machine of claim 1in which the conTrol mechanism includes a fluid motor for the variablespeed drive, and fluid valves actuated by said sensors in circuit withsaid motor.